8 May 2014

First of all, I'd like to thank, Malla
Duncan, for inviting me to participate in this writing process blog hop.Malla is the author of a string of
psychological thrillers, including Fat Chance, a humorous murder mystery set on
the Amalfi Coast, and Dark Sanctuary, a chilling thriller, set on the Yorkshire
moors.You can find all Malla’s books at Malla's Amazon Author Page

I find writing an all consuming activity to the point that I’m
sure my subconscious mind is still working away when I’m fast asleep.In the day time, however, I’m in charge (I hope) and
the following is my writing process.

What am I working on?

My work in progress is the fourth book in the Fitzjohn detective series. The working title is, The Silver Cane.
The story opens with the discovery of a man’s body during a
function at the Sydney Observatory. The victim is an uninvited guest,
and a stranger to all those in attendance. DCI Fitzjohn's only clue is the man's silver handled cane.

How does my work differ from others in this
genre?

Perhaps my work differs from others in a
detective series because although my books can be categorized as police
procedurals, they can also fit comfortably into the cozy murder mystery slot.However, as you’re no doubt aware, most cozies
have an amateur sleuth with settings in country houses and/or villages whereas I
have chosen a professional sleuth who works in a large city.

Of course, Detective Chief Inspector
Fitzjohn doesn’t fit the mould for the majority of police procedurals
either.He’s a detective from the old
school and his methods are thought, by some, to be archaic, but he does get his
man - or woman, whichever the case might be.His pastime, when he isn’t on a case, is tending his greenhouse full of
orchids.His nemesis is his immediate
superior, Chief Superintendent Grieg, and his biggest annoyance in life is his
neighbour, Rhonda Butler.There are no
guns being fired, no swearing other than the occasional “damn”, and no explicit
crime scenes.Just a mystery to be solved.

Why do I write what I do?

I write what I do because I enjoy creating
puzzles for the reader to solve.My
challenge is to keep the reader guessing until, almost, the last page.If I can do that, I have been successful.

How does my
writing process work?

I've never given it a great deal of thought, but I guess I’m a bit of a Pantser - I start with an
initial idea and see where it takes me.I write in the third person, and I usually have two point of view characters.I keep a time line of all my characters so I
can see where everyone was at the time of the murder(s).I also keep a character table to remind myself
of each character's specific details. It wouldn’t
do for their hair to change color or to suddenly lose 100 pounds. I use a laptop computer as well as pen and
paper and I usually work in my study but am notorious for writing just about
anywhere - trains, planes, airport lounges, coffee shops - in fact, wherever I
can sit down.Am I obsessed?Probably.

Fergus-overseeing the writing process

My constant companion is Fergus, my cat. He's rather bossy, but he is very beautiful, with large yellow eyes. He’s what you would call an ‘indoor cat’ although the back patio is also
part of his domain.If he isn’t sitting
on my printer or laptop he sits at the window keeping an eye on the sparrows in the birdbath outside.He growls at them.It makes his
day!

And then there's Mozart - another feline friend!

If you would like to check out a few other authors here are three of my favourites:-

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About Me

Mystery writer and author of The Celtic Dagger, Murder At The Rocks,Once Upon A Lie, Lane's End, Deadly Investment, Poisoned Palette and The Fourth String, all part of the Fitzjohn Mystery Series.I live in Australia, am an avid reader, love the theatre, travelling, photography and delving into my family's genealogy.